Rustang

If anyone would like to stretch my stack that would be awesome 👍

NewflatsAndromStack-St.tiff

23 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

Processing of astro photos is a skill to be learned.

Maybe watch some of videos explaining the process. You can also post your image here (32bit fits/tiff is the best option) for other more experienced members to show you what image really contains (there is usually more to data than people starting out with processing are able to show).

Ok, I will get the stacked image up to hopefully see whats there, whats the best way to go about posting a 32 bit file!?

Good start 👍, maybe go with ISO 800 but then the noise doesn't look to bad in your images but the more you stretch the more it will become apparent. Orion has a bright centre so ISO 800 will also help keep the centre from over saturating. Looks like you definitely have some movement, more so in the first image, 2min subs was reaching the limit on my HEQ5 pro mount so guiding will really help with star trailing when your ready but you may reach your limits quickly with that mount, mounts are one of the mount important bits of equipment. Have a play with Focusing also, it maybe the movement though that's making it look slightly out of focus.

Keep going, it will be worth it.

I was imaging Andromeda last night, I managed to get 4hrs worth of 5min subs. I was really excited to see the stack but was quickly disappointed! It didn't look much better than my very first attempt in regards to detail obtained etc and that was only around 1hours worth of 1min subs. So what does it take to do Andromeda justice? Also how do you get the colour's that Ive seen in other Andromeda images? as my stack is just that washed out light orangy brown colour!

Stacked in APP. SW80ED DS PRO, Canon 600D astro modified. 0.8x reducer, Optolong L-Pro light pollution filter.

29 minutes ago, Adam1234 said:

I just press the goto button again on APT once the target has crossed the meridian, the mount then slews to the object so it's pointing from the correct side. 

Handy to know! 👍

All good tonight so far guys! (touch wood) thanks again everyone, much appreciated 👍

20 minutes ago, Adam1234 said:

Good luck

Cheers 👍

Google 'telescope field of view calculator' and use the astronomy tools website, select your details from the drop down menus and it will tell you everything you need to know 👍

22 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

Platesolve on park position yes ,  I have never used solve ever, blind solve every time I use the Astap option in Apt solves in 4 sec 

Cheers 👍

Tonight is looking to be clear so I will take everything mentioned on board and hopefully will get another good night of imaging! 🤞🤞

36 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

All I do is platesolve from home and sync ,check it’s synced coordinates then choose target and go to++

If you sync from 'Home' which I'm guessing you mean park!? then do you auto solve that area then!? Then you go off to Target and continue your process?

6 hours ago, Jamgood said:

That's where you're going wrong then. I think you got lucky the first two time, to be honest.

I made a quick image that hopefully explains what I do. Starting from the Parked position, weights straight down, scope up pointing north.

1. Choose target in Objects

2. Goto Target

3. Put in Objects Co-ordinates. You just click Object in the Current Image at the top and click OK as your target should already be selected from the Goto stage.

4. Click Auto. It will take an image and then solve that image.

5. Click Objects in the Center FOV at position at the bottom and again, click OK as your target should already be selected from the Goto stage.

6. Click GoTo++ and let it do it's thing. 

When finished, your target should be in the center of your image and you're good to start.

 

Hope that makes sense/helps. 👍

Appreciate that, thanks 👍

Thanks everyone, no pain no gain!.  My thought process on plate solving Polaris was that while it was pointing at it anyway, I might as well sort the mount knowing where it is so then when slewed to target it would already be centre of view. That's what happened the first two times perfectly so why I was very surprised that last night went tits up!!

Anyway, here's to the next clear night! 👍

I plate solved polaris, then go to ++ to centre, once done slewed to andromeda and it missed! Messed about, sending it home again plate solveing it again on Polaris then slewed to a bright star, it missed everytime I tried a target after plate solving Polaris by quite a bit, to far south mainly. If by platesolving on Polaris really is the issue then I don't know how I was so lucky the last couple of times (I'm pleased I was though!!) 

When you slew to your target from your home position, do you blind solve that target then to start with or select the target in plate solve from the objects box and then solve!? 

I understand that now, and will proceed with the way you guys have mentioned but I just need clarification that tonights issue was definitely to do with platesolving on Polaris which will hopefully then rule out the chance it could be another possible issues! 👍

2 minutes ago, Adam1234 said:

There is a reason why polaris isn't good to plate solve or star align on, I can't remember exactly what it is. I think it was something to do with being so close to the NCP that even a tiny error in the alignment to Polaris causes a bigger error when slewing to other objects. 

Thanks guys, I will do as mentioned the next clear night and fingers crossed everything goes ok. So say there was an error in alignment, and then a bigger error in slewing, can that mean that as I've mentioned the coordinates are reading correct but the actual pointing at the target is out, is that possible!? 

12 minutes ago, Jamgood said:

 

6 minutes ago, Jamgood said:

Do this ^ instead of plate solving Polaris. It works every time, every object.

Thanks guys, I'm more than happy to give that ago but it still doesn't show why it went wrong tonight, it doesn't sit right in my head that if it's because I'm plate solving Polaris and that's the issue them why did it not go wrong the first two times!? and also why were my coordinates correct but the mount wasn't pointing at the target!? It would be good to get to the bottom of it to not waste another night if possible. 

The things is,  using polaris is exactly how I've done it before and had no issues, twice! So I have no idea what's going on tonight. Eqmod and APT are stating the correct coordinates so why wasn't the mount actually pointing at the target after it was sync with the Polaris platesolve? I've packed away now and annoyed I've missed I night but never mind. 

As you can see, Eqmod has the same coordinates as Stellarium for Andromeda, APT shows the same so why is mount not pointing at Andromeda!?? 

How do I do that? Do you put the point count box to 0?its currently on 2!?

I've gone back through the handset and that's still not working, its solving polaris fine now, and go to ++ is working at puts polaris in the centre but it's not  reaching any targets properly!? This is wasting a good night now!! 😒

I'm trying to image tonight, the only thing I've done differently is I now have the EQ DIR cable connecting the mount to the computer so I'm now not going through the handset. I've plate solved polaris like I normally do but when sending off to target via APT it's missing the target every time, it wasnt before. Any ideas!? It's now also struggling to centre Polaris via go to ++!!! 

4 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

To get more clear magnification on a like for like basis. Then you really need to go for more aperture. More aperture on a like for like basis allows more light gathering ability and in turn you have the ability (with the correct eyepiece and seeing conditions) to use more magnification.

If you currency use a 130mm reflector scope, then to see a reasonable step up at sensible money then I would consider a 200mm reflector.

 

I hope this helps 

Cheers, food for thought 👍

40 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Assuming you are viewing from the UK, then the biggest difference is likely to be a poorer image, 216x is probably the best highest power for the aperture.  Using a half decent Barlow shouldn't compromise the image quality noticeably, If you want to try a higher power either get an even shorter focal length eyepiece or a 3x Barlow.  It will be a cheaper way to find that the difference would not be worthwhile.   🙂

That's really helpful, thank you. I will look at eyepiece/Barlow options for now then.

I currently don't really do much viewing but I would like to get into doing more. While my astrophotography set up gets on doing whats its doing during the night I don't like to be to far away from it to keep an eye on things so in between snoozing on a deck chair next to it, it would be good use some time to have a hunt around by eye. I currently use a SW 130P 650fl for visual and with my highest mag eye piece which is a 6mm I can get x216 by using a x2 Barlow. I have been toying with the idea of getting a scope that brings the planets in a little closer (don't we all! ) and also to get up closer to the moon. A couple of scopes I have in mind for this are the Nexstar or Skymax 127 (so simular aperture). Ive used a telescope field of view calculator to get an idea of what I would see and with a 1500mm FL and just the 6mm I would get x250 mag (reaching its highest possible mag) which on the field of view calculator there's not much difference between that and the x2 barlow view with my current scope, that may answer my own question but before I waste any money, is there any point in getting something like a Skymax/Nexstar, would there really be a noticeable difference? so should i go for an even longer fl scope? Obviously I wouldn't need to use the barlow so does that make a difference to the clarity of the view just using an eyepiece and no barlow!?

I cant stop looking at this, its mental! 😊